Method of repairing storage batteries



Feb. 27, 1923.

c. W. cox

METHOD OF REPAIRING STORAGE BATTERIES 5 sheets-sheet 2,

Filed July 28, 1919 Feb. 27., 1923.

C. W. COX

METHOD OF REPAIRING STORAGE BATTERIES Filed July 28, 1919 5 sheets-sheet5 v Kia/65,175.

Patented Feb. 27, 1923.

oirao STA-TES enanos W. COX,

OF mans, IOWA.

METHOD or RPAIRING STORAGE BATTEnis.

Application ied July 2s, 1919. serial No; 313,740.'

To Vall whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, CARLOS IV. COX, `a

citizen of the United States, residing at Ames, in the county of Storyand State of. Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsyin Methods of Repairing' Storage Batteries, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to an improvedy method of repairing motor vehiclestorage batteries and 'has as one of its principal ob- 'jects to providean apparatus whereby the' labor involved in repairing;v a storage bat-`tery, as compared with existing methods' will be reduced practically toaminimum vwhile, at the same time, a kgreat saving in time will also beeffected. l I

The invention has as a further object to provide a construction whereinafter .a storage battery has been initially placed upona work benchemployed, the battery maydbe tested, disassembled, cleaned,`reassembled, again tested, and finally sealed without 'the necessityfor taking the battery vaway from. the bench, so that the battery `needbe lifted A further object of the invention in this' connection is toprovide a construction wherein the sections of the vbench will bedetachably secured together so that the sec'- t-ions may be assembledfrom 'lett to right or vice versa.

The invention has als-a further Object to provide an improved mechanismfor'drilling out the connectors of'a Ibattery so that after the batteryelements 'have been vloosened they inav be withdrawn.

The invention has as a further object'to" provide'an improved mechanismforsteam`- ing the battery cells for .loosening y.the bat'- teryelements.'V y

And the invention has `asa still further object to provideaii improvedmechanism for withdrawing the `battery element-s from the cells. i

Other and incidental objects will appear hereinafter.

In the-drawings: i i i Figure l-'is a' front elevation *of my ,iinprovedapparatus, f

Figure 2 is a top plan view yof tliefappa` iatus,

Figure 3 is an end elevatioiiof what will be'termed the first section ofthe work bench employed, .t

Figure 4 is an end elevation of `*the second se'ctionof the Work bench,f

Figure .5 is a fragmentary side elevation y ofthe connector drillofftl'ie apparatus,

Figure 6 is a; front elevation of the-conv nector drill, i

Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevation particularly illustrating thepost .'eiigagingtongs of vthe battery element withdrawingl deviceYemployed,

Figure'S is a fragmentary perspective" view showing "the .steaming tubesofthe lap'- paratus, Y

Figure 9 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a typical nozzle asemployed'in connection with the steaming" t'ubes,fan`d Figure l0 is a.detail sectionalview `of the condenserl employed. y

In carrying the' invention *into effect', I employ .a work bench. Thiswork bench .is preferably formed of sections v vhfi'ch, -forconvenience. have :been 'individually indicated at A, B, C, D'and 'Erespectively'. The sectionsrare' provided with lsuitable legs l0 andwhen the -sec'tionsfare assembled end'to end the l'egs'of 'adjacentsections abutand are detacliably secured together bv 'bolts vor othersuitablejfastening devices. -VVhenthe sections 'are' thus assembled abench table 11 is formed fromwhich rises the back 12 of the bench.4 Inthis connection it is to be observed that` forming the lbenchjin sec,-tions, the sections may. be assembled in Order from left to right, asshown in thefdrawii'igs,v

or. rif preferred, from frightto left. As'wll later appear, a storagebattery,rduringthe course of its repair, is shifted from one Asec'- tionto the other lalong 4the bench yand accordingly, they sections may, inpractice, loe arranged as will be 'found most convenient.

Taking up fnow each of the se'ctioi'isfin detail. itrwiil bessen that'the Section A. beneath the'tablethereof, is, as particularly shown in`Figure 3, provided with a wash trough 13 from which leads-,afwastepipeF14. f

This @trough y may beuof anyapproved charao ter and :is .suitablysecured u'oonthe'section so that the front side of vthe trough will bedisposed adjacent `the front side of the section. The trough is formedwith a hinge( front board l5 and mounted within the trough is a slattedtray 16. lt is intended that all dirt, grease and'other 'foreignsubstances shall be first washed from a battery in this trough, thebattery being rested upon the tray 16. Mounted upon the table of thesection isa rheostat 17 which may be of conventional type andA connectedto the back oi :the section is a switch 18 which may also be otconventional type. Connected tovone terminal oi" the switch is anelectrical conductor l 9 and electrically connected with one y essari torepair the batter f or sim il to recharge it. An approved volt meter 22is also mounted upon the back of the section and electrically connectedwith this meter are suitable hand terminals which may be employed., aswill be well understood, for gaining a rea-ding of the voltage oi" abattery. Thus, it will be seen that labattery may be cleaned and testedupon 'the section A. ot'the bench. y

Mounted upon the table of the section l of the bench at the torwardedge` thereof is, as particularly shown in Figure 4l o'f the drawings, abloclr 23 the inner tace of weich is provided with one or more inwardlyprojectinp,` spurs. Arranged to cooperate with this block is a clampingarm 24. This arm is mounted at one end upon a roch shaft journaled insuitable bearings beneath the table of the section, the arm being,`freely received through a suitable slot in the table. Fixed to theopposite end of said shattis an upstanding hand lever 26 also #freelyreceived through the table. This lever is equipped with a vsuitablelatch 27 cooperating with a segment 28. -Thus, as will be seen,

a battery may, as suggested in dotted lines in' Figure 4, be rested uponthe table in front of the block 23. Then, by swinging the lever 26rigidly holding` a battery thereon, is also forwardly the arm 24 willbemoved to clamp thebattery between said arm and the block when, byreleasing the latch 27 the arm will be locked in this position so thatthe battery will be rigidly held upon the table. The section B,-inaddition to this mechanism for equipped with mechanism for steaming thecellsfof the battery. This mechanism includes a `suitable burner 29arranged ad jacent one end of the section table and rested upon thisburner is a boiler 30. Leadn ing from the top of theboiler is a steamdischarge spout 3l over which is fitted one end and connectedwith saidvalves are flexible tubes 37 equipped at their outer ends with nozzles38. @ne of these nozzles is shown in detail in .Figure 9 of thedrawings. As there illustrated, each oit' said nozzles includes a.frusto conically shaped body having its smaller. end presenteddownwardly and 'openingA through the ape); of the body is a pipe 39, thepipes of the several nozzles being,` fitted in the outer ends ot thetubes 37. The nozzle bodies are designed to be fitted in the ventopenings of a battery when, by

opening` the valves 36, the sealing compound p of the battery cells .maybe softened by the steam generated in the boiler 30 so that the elementsot the battery may be with drawn. l have-shown the use of sii: steaming'nozzles, making; it possible to simultaneously steam all of the cells'ot a sii; cell battery. However, as will of course be understood, the

number ot steaming nozzles to be employed may be varied as desired.

The section B is also equipped with mechanism forl drilling out theconnectorsot a battery so that the battery elements will be treed fromeach other. This mechanism inchicles a stand 40 arranged, asparticularly shown in Figure 4, adjacent the back of the I section inthe rear of the steaming;` manifold Loosely fitted through the sleeve oftl is stand is a post 41 which projects beneath the section table.Fitted upon 'the post adjacent its upper end is a` collar 42 held inadjusted position vertically of thev post by a suitable.

set bolt and sustained by this collar is a sleeve 43 rotatable upon thepost. Pivotally connected with said sleeve is an arm 44 upon which isSlidably mounted a drill. The drill is bestshown in Figures 5 and@ otthi` drawings. cludes a body plate 45 from which upstand longitudinallyspaced luus 4G slidably reeceiving` the armf45 therethrough. Dependingfrom the forward end of the body plate are transversely spaced bearingarms 47 through which is journaled a shaft 48 carrying at one end agear49. Secured to the body plate at the rear end thereof is an electricmotor conventionally indicated at 5() and the shaft ofthis motor isequipped at one end with a pinion 5l meshing with 4the gear 49.Swingingly mounted upon the shaft 48 between the bearing;` arms 47therefor is a yolre 52. This yoke is provided with a depending); sleeve53 through which isjour'- naled lthe shaft of a drill chuck 54. At thcupper end of the sleeve said sha-ft carries a As will be seen, thisdrill in-y bevel pinion 5,5 which coacts with a bevel pinion 56 uponthe'shaft 48. The chuck is adapted to removably receive a bit conven-ltionally indicated yat 57. rllhus, asv will ybe readily understood, thisbit may be rotated by the inotor 50. By swinging the arin 44%downwardly, the drill may be lowered to engage the bit with theconnectorof a bat'- tery while by sliding the drill 'along the arm' the bit inaybe properly positionedv with re spectto-the connector. Furthermore, itis to be observed in this connectionthat the drill may also beswung-about the longitudinal axis oft the arni le while the yolzeyZ maybe' swung about'the axis of the shaft 48 for ina-- nipulating the bit.Consequently, the bit may be positioned at practically any angle desiredwith respect to the connector so that3 as is proper, the center of theconnector may be easily drilled out. When the drill isA not in use, thearin 44 may, as shown in Figure `l. be swung to one side-and restedupona bracket 58 for supporting the drill in a position out of the way, the`bracket being-carried by vthe back oi the section. Y

The section B ls further equipped with mechanism for lifting theeleinents ot a battery after the sealing compound orn the battery cellshas been softened and the 'top cornv neotors have been ,drilled/ott^rthis mecha* nisni includes, as particularly shown in Figure 4, a lever59 which is pivoted at. its inner end upon a-sleeve 6() clamped orotherwise secured upon the lower end portion loi the post ell beneaththe section table. Clamped or otherwise secured upon the upper endportion of the post and resting upon the sleeve of the stand is a sleeveG1. -supporting the post upon the stand and pivoted upon said sleeve isan arin 62. Swingingly connecting this arin with the lever 5K9 is a. rod63 extending vertically thioi'lgh a suitable arcuate slot in thesectiontable. Adj acent its outer end the arm 62 as' particuvlarl fshown in Fioure 7' formed in its u ucrv edge with a series ot notches'and arranged to selectively engage in said rseries of4 notches is thecross pinoi'l a clevis ce. Swiveled upon this clevis is a yoke- 65whichcarrics a. pivoted cross arm `66 and pivotallyv con` nected withthe ends of this arni are grab hooks 67. Pivotally connected to thehandles of these hooks are links 68 the upper ends of which are coupledby linls G9 and engaged with the links 69 are rods 7() swiv` eled uponyokes 7l carried by the ends of t1 .with the ends of the cross arno. oAs a means of no-iinally maintaining the lever 59 and ariu v62 elevated.a 'spring 73 is provided.

this spring is con- As shown in Figure il,

llt-3k cross arm. Engaged with the ends ot the' nec'ted at onelend'tothe inte'rmediateportionl l of the rod'63 while theopposite end otsaid:springi'sfconnectedI to the sleeve 61. Thus;-

this spring will normally hold the outerend oii'the lever engagingthesectiontable tlu'are; beneath while the-arm 62 will be inclinedupwardlyto sustain. the grabghooks away` 'i `from the table; However, bygrasping the outer end of thevlever 59 and swinging this f lever'downwardly lto lower the reewend of the,y arm, the grab hooks may belengaged with the postso'f a battery element'when,

'elementr of the battery may be readily withdrawn ytroni its cell.y Theremaining kele"- `by pulling upwardlyuponV the lever, said" g nientsoi?k the ybattery may,"by repeatingl the operation, be likewiseeasily-removed. Vhcn not in'use, the lever 59 maybe operated ltorswinging the arm 62 to one side, as shown in.`

Figure l, to a 'position out of the way.

Corning now to thesection C of the bench,l it will be seen that thissection is provided` with a sink 74: opening through the section.

table. Thissinkis sustained by cross pieces 75 yextending therebeneathand adjustably connected withthe section. table by depending rods To;

l'ieading` 'from thel 'sink Ais u waste )i c. 77. u1 standing Vwithin'vthe sink l) i Q :s

to forni a tra-p;v The sink'E is preferably lead i "i lined forretaining the 'waste sediment ytror'n 1 battery iars.; Extending in therear 'of the;v

of the section and; extending across-the sink is a horizontally disposedbranch pipe 79 is arranged substantially midway oft e controlled byavalvef'Sl. Thus, afterthe battery elements have been removed from thejars therefor the battery case may be inverted :over the` nozzle 80 anda 'jet of section C is` a water supply pipe 78. -Leadf y ing rorntliissupply pipe through the backwater directed into each of the jars" sucx`rcssively for thoroughly washing out the" pire and removing allsediment therefrom.

Leading through the back of the section?` iroin4 the pipe 76 labove thepipe 77 is a second Ubranchpipe 82 oiiset laterally out or the planeofthe pipe77 'and equipped' at its outeren'd with a suitable-'faucet- 83adaptedto'einpty into the sink. Extending over the back of thensectionat the top there` of 'is a branchL supply pipe 84k normally'` closed bya valve 85.

tally and thence downwardly into the boiler fr). n. 'valve beingprovided for control#l inn' lflow oit waterintoith-e boiler. Secured`Above the back vot'. il 'iion, the pipe 78 is directed horizon-y i tothe back ot ,the'section above one end oi, l

sinlt isa shalt 87 andrested `upon .th'ifsf` p ebelt e, condenser. v InFigure 10.1 `havei "y i shown thepondenser in detail.

As f there io f closed at its outer end. This branch pi ep illustrated,the condenser is formed with a paired. Having thus described thestruccylindrica-l body. 88 yremovably fitted upon a pan S9. l/Vithin thebody is a conical partition 90 abo-ve which kis formed a Water chamberinto which the pipe Srl is arranged to empty so that asupply ot' Watermay always be. maintained within said chambery for cooling` thepartition; Below the partition is 'defined a steam chamberin Whicharranged van upwardlyl sloping annular lia-nge 91 secured to the Wall ofthe bodyand providing' a `trapflor distilled Water formed by thecondensation of steam .against the partition 90.

may overflow into the pan S9. The Water n chamber above the partition 90vis provided at. one enda hose 94. This hose is of Suchlength that itmay be engaged at its 'tree end over the steam discharge spout 31:01 theboiler 3G. Consequently, when a bat rtory is not actually being steamedas previouslydescribed, the hose 32 may be dis-v connected `from thedischarge spout 3ll and the hose 9d connected therewith when the steamfrom lthe boiler will be directed-into Ll (l the condenserend thereconverted back into,y

Water. Consequently, it will be unneces` extinguish the burner 29 whenit i not desired to use steam `from the boiler since this steam will beconverted and pracbrouoht, at ythe proper stage in repair' ot the 'f cebatte v. .to this sect-ion ol the bench to be carefully examined.Preferably, the back ot the section is provided Withza shelt 97.

lhe section E ot the Workbench is intended for use as an assemblingsection. The section is accordingly equipped with a suitable polarityindicator 98 secured to the baclr ot the section and provided withappropriate hand terminals 99. Mounted upon the back ot' the sectionabove this indicator is a shelf 1.00 registering with the shelf 97 ofthe section D. .larranged upon the section table adjacent the outer endthereof is a burner 101 which ma; "be of any appropriate ltype anddepending over the burner is a ventilating pipe 102.v The burner isprovided for heating' a sealinpgfcompound to be employed in resealing abattery after it has been re- As will be seen, distilled water willcollect aro-und this flange and.

tural details of myr improved apparatus I shall now proceed to explainthe manner in which the apparatus is used in repairing -,a battery. s

lnitially a battery preferably iv'ashed in the trough lwvhen the batteryis lifted to the table of the section A. As shall now appear, it Willnot be necessary to remove the battery from the Work bench throughoutthe course ot' its repair. ln thus making it necessary to lift thebattery'but once,v considerable effort `is saved, as compared Withordinary methods requiring a battery' tobe repeatedly litted to a-ivorktable and ,res moved therefrom. After the battery has been placed lonthe table oli the section Ait is tested to determine Whether the batteryneeds. repair or simplyv needs recharging.

lfn the latter event the battery is removed and recharged. @n the otherhand, should it develop 'that the battery needsrepair, it is then slidfrom the section onto the table of the section B and .is moved to aposition in :front of the bloeit 28. The hand lever 26 is then operatedto lirmlyclamp the` battery upon the section table. This done, the ventplugs oi' the battery are removed when the nozczlesdltl are titted inthe vent openings oi thebattery cellsand the valves 36 opened to,`

admit steam intov the batteryfor softening `the sealing compoundthereof. While the stea ung operation is thus in progress the drill isbrought into position, as previously described, and operated fordrilling out the battery connectors. Thus, `What has heretofore been twodistinct operations Whichfit has been necessaryto perform separatelyare, in the present instance, accomplished simultaneously. vEy the timethe top connectors have been drilled` ofi), the sealing.

compound of the battery will probably have softened sufficiently topermit the withdraWa-l ot the battery elements. Accord` ingly, the drillisswungto one sideand the arn'r (32 swung' .forwardly over the .battery.The lever 59 is then operated for successively pulling` the batteryelements out ot' the jars therefor andas eachl element is r`Withdrawn itis tilted and allowed to rest upon the up,- perend of its to drain.After draining', the insulators o'fthe battery elements are removed andthe plates arewvashed in 'the sinlr 7d- When the parts of the elementsare taken to the section D of the Worlr bench.`

Coincidently, the battery jars are, as previously described, Washed outat the sink, when the battery case is taken to the section D. Uponreaching this section all of the parts of the battery are carefullyinspected and when found necessary are renewed after which the batteryparts are moved along to the section E lof the bench. Upon reaching`this section the several parts of the battery are reassembled and thebattery sealed. l

loo

llO

accordingly provide an apparatus whereby a battery may be expeditiouslyrepaired with eieiency.

Having thus described the what is Claimed as new is:

l. The method of repairing a storage battery lwhich consists in steamingthe battery cells, drilling ofi' the top connectors of the batterysimultaneously with the steaming of the cells, subsequently withdrawingthe battery elements, washing the battery jars invention,

and elements, and reassembling the battery.

2. The method of repairing a storage battery which consists in steamingthe battery cells, drilling off the top connectors of the battery,withdrawing thel battery elements, and reassembling the battery.

3. The method of repairing storage batteries which consists insupporting a battery, 'heating the lbattery Cells, withdrawing thebattery elements, and assembling the battery without vremoving thebattery from its support.- y y el. The method of repairing storageloat-` teries which consists in supporting a battery,kv

heating the battery cells, drilling off the top connectors of thebattery, washing the battery elements, and assembling the batterywithout removing the battery from its support.

The method of repairing storage batteries which consists in heating'thebattery cells, removing the top connectors of the

